5th and 8th grade pupils’ and teachers’ perceptions of the relationships between teaching methods, classroom ethos, and positive affective attitudes towards learning mathematics in Japan

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attainments. One 5^th grade teacher mentioned that good mathematics performers
sometimes showed difficulty in learning mathematics through activities, due to
unfamiliarity with the approach or being poor at learning in a group (ap.6.2.19.5^th).

Using a computer

Four advantages of using a computer in mathematics classes emerged. First, it was
perceived to promote pupils’ understanding of the curriculum through the visual sense;
five 5^th grade teachers (25%) and two 8^th grade teachers (17%) mentioned this. Children
could draw shapes more accurately, precisely and easily with a computer than by hand
(ap.6.2.20.5^th). Secondly, it promoted pupils’ affective attitudes such as interest,
enjoyment and motivation (ap.6.2.21.8^th); this was raised by three 5^th grade teachers
(15%) and three 8^th grade teachers (25%). Thirdly, one teacher from each age group
mentioned that using a computer, such as CAI (Computer-assisted instruction)
programmes, could meet pupils’ individual needs and preferences (ap.6.2.22.8^th).
Lastly, two 8^th grade teachers (17%) pointed out that the popularisation of the adoption
of computers in mathematics classes might enable the widening of the curriculum, to
include, for example, things which traditional teaching methods could not achieve
(ap.6.2.23.8^th).

The most distinctive disadvantage of using a computer in mathematics classes was that
it did not normally involve interaction either with the teacher or peers. Two 5^th grade
teachers (10%) and two 8^th grade teachers (17%) said that they were uncertain about
the extent to which using computers, which lacked teacher-pupil or between-pupil
interaction, could promote pupils’ ∞gnitive development. They asked: Can learning
mathematics individually through using a computer programme promote pupils’
understanding and mathematical ideas more effectively than interactive methods? One
8^th grade teacher suggested that secure interactions between teacher and pupils, and
between pupils, must be more effective in developing pupils’ mathematical ideas than
CAI (ap.6.2.24.8^th).

Secondly, not all of the pupils would be interested in using a computer in mathematics
classes; two 5^th grade teachers (10%) and two 8^th grade teachers (17%) referred to this.
Some teachers also believed that pupils might be interested in operating computers but

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